Surge attenuating devices



Dec. 22, 1964 M. F. PETERS 3,162,213

sums ATTENUATING DEVICES Filed June 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l zrraleA Y Dec. 22, 1964 M. F. PETERS 3,162,213

SURGE ATTENUATING DEVICES Filed June 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 24 FIG. 4 M

INVEN TOR M54 \//4 E 1. P522725 United States Patent 3,162,213 SURGE ATTENUATING DEVICES Melville E. Peters, 29 N. Ridge Road, Livingston, NJ. Filed June 13, I962, Ser. No. 202,274 6 Claims. (Cl. 13830) This invention relates to devices for attenuating pressure surges in fluid lines and particularly to fluid surge suppressors.

Presently known surge suppressors consist of a fluid tight housing closed at one end and connected at its other end to a line bearing fluid subject to transient pressure waves. A flexible element such as a metal bellows, elastomer bag, or diaphragm is carried within the fluid tight housing and divides it into two chambers. One of the chambers is in communication with the fluid in the line. The other chamber is hermetically sealed.

Metal bellows used as the flexible element have proved expensive, diflicult to manufacture, fragile, and too large and heavy for many purposes. The elastomer bag and diaphragm have not proved satisfactory because of their inability to withstand the fluid pressure initiated during the pas-sage of the pressure waves. As hereinafter more fully set forth, these forces result not only from the static and surge pressures in the line which generally do not exceed 1000 p.s.i., but also from the phenomenon of cavitation caused when cavities created in the fluid are collapsed by the oscillating pressures in the surge suppressor, which may produce localized pressures between 50,000 and 500,000 p.s.i.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide surge suppressors in which the flexible element is an elastomer bellows capable of withstanding the forces created during the operation of the suppressor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a surge suppressor in which the flexible element is protected from the effect of cavitation by being under compression during the formation and collapse of cavities.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a low cost compact surge suppressor.

An object of the present invention is to maintain the elastomer flexible bellows under compression at all times so as to decrease its rate of oxidation and chemical change thereby to prolong its life.

An object of the present invention is to provide a surge suppressor which will remain operative over long periods of time without need for servicing or adjustment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a surge suppressor which will maintain its charging pressure over long periods of use.

. An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible element for a surge suppressor which is easy to fabricate and assemble for manufacturing and servicing requirements.

R A feature of the present invention is to provide an elastomer bellows which can be nested during normal static pressures.

Another feature of the present invention is its use of a restricted inlet pipe on the surge suppressor to prevent destruction of the elastomer bellows by the formation and collapse of cavities during the life of the transient pressure wave.

A further feature of the present invention is to control the rate at which cavities form and collapse within the pressurized chamber by using a liquid within the pressurized chamber which has a viscosity greater than some predetermined value, which value will depend upon the free period of vibration of the liquid initiating the transient pressure wave.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide an elastomer bellows having a structure that allows the flexible member to withstand the fluid pressures set up within the chambers without stretching or compressing the elastomer beyond a small portion of its safe working range.

A further feature of the present invention is its use of semi-permeable membranes carried by the flexible member and communicating with the two chambers within the surge suppressor.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof are illustrated several forms of embodiment of the invention, in which drawings similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken through an elastomer bellows made in accordance with the present invention showing the supporting ring and dome structures, said bellows being in a nested position.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, showing the bellows in an extended state.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken through a complete embodiment of the persent invention.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the surge suppressor under the influence of the high pressure portion of a transient pressure wave.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of an elastomer bellows showing the use of a semi-permeable membrane assembly, another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section through an elastomer bellows having supporting rings internally carried by the bellows where pressure requirements are not as rigorous as those illustrated in the embodiments shown in FIG- URES 1-4.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view somewhat enlarged of the bellows assembly shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section of a nested elastomer bellows employing rings of circular cross-section.

FIGURE -9 is a fragmentary view somewhat enlarged of the structure shown in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical section of a surge suppressor showing the manner in which the elastomer bellows is secured to the base and housing.

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of a supporting ring made in accordance with the present invention.

If a surge suppressor made in accordance with the following description or in accordance with any of the prior art structures is provided with a transparent housing and inlet pipe, it will be observed that the transient pressure wave will initiate bubbles of gas ranging in diameter from inch or larger to diameters small enough to be invisible to the naked eye but numerous enough to give the liquid in the pressurized chamber a milky appearance. Bubbles of gas covering a wide range of diameters will also be observed in the water in the inlet pipe, providing the water contains dissolved or suspended bubbles of gas.

When the frequency of oscillation of the surge suppressor is not greater than 10 c.p.s., it is-possible to observe during the life of the transient pressure wave a decrease in size of the larger gas bubbles when the pressure is increas ing and an increase in their size when the pressure is decreasing (where an increase in pressure is indicated by the flexible element elongating and a decrease in pressure is indicated by the element shortening). Besides these visible changes in bubble size, and changes take place in the liquids which make it impossible to operate the conventional flexible elements made from elastomers for more than a few cycles without punching holes in the elements. These holes are punched by the high pressures initiated in the gas filled liquids in the surge suppressor 500,000 p.s.i.

Whenthe pressure inthe surgesuppressor is suddenly reduced by the transient pressure wave. These observations agree with the destructive forces generated with and immediately following the instantaneous closing of a valve in afluidbearinglineu I Surge suppressors are constructed so that the transient pressure wave will not increase the pressure in the system by more than 50 or 60 p.s.i.1jabove the static pressure; which in the plumbing industryflimits the static pressure to '50 psi. During the. first "quarter. cycle following a valve closure,-.the transient pressure wave reaches'its peak. value and increases the pressure .in the gg ressuLri zed* chamber of the surge suppressor to the combined pressureof. the static pressure and the peak transient pressure. This" increase in pressure will cause some of theundis- ,The inside diameter' of the rings 22 are equal to or slightly larger than the inside diameter of the convolutions 24 of the bellows 20. The outside of the rings 22 I bear against the inner surface ofth'e convolutions 24.

Theoutside diameter of the'rings23 generally conform to the'outside diameter. of the convolutions 24 in size and .the'insidediameter' of the rings 23 is of a sizewhich will '.cause.them to bear lightly against the outside of the roots of theconvolutions 24. The .dome shaped cap 21 is preferably fonnedwith a concave inner surface 27 which conforms in size to the inside diameter of the convolutions 24; lt will be seen that a tubular column is solved bubbles of gas to dissolve in the liquid in the pres surized chamber and t me water in the flexible element During the next quarter cycle of the surge suppressor. the pressure in the water system will be reduced to its static pressure and during the following quarter cycle the pressure in the water system will be further reduced.

' Both the liquidin; the sealed chamber and in the. system have experienced a rapid increase in pressure followed by a rapid decrease in pressure or rarificationf This rarification causes both theldissolved and mechanically suspended gases in the liquids to expand. .When this rarification takes place in a liquid having a relatively low viscosity or one which does not have other meansto limit the rate of bubble collapse, localized pressures arev developed. in the liquids, which range from 50,000 to tires which are developedduning cavitation and aresnot only great enough-to punch holes in the elastomers but; v

are powerful. enough when initiated by propellers to blast or chip metal outof'the blades. It is theseforcesx developed by cavitation'and sometimes referred to as the pick efiect which are initiated during the phenomenon known as water hammer and which explain-the previous failure 'of such flexible elements as elastomer, bags,',

diaphragms, etc., withinsurge suppressors. Experience has shown that elastomer very diflicult to puncture when; under compression. In

the conventional surge suppressor using elastomer bags.

or diaphragms the elastomer must be stretched to function as a flexible element and consequently it is operated under tension. In the embodimentset forth and described herein it will be observed that the elastomer bellows employed is under compression at all times. This compression greatly improves the abilityjof the flexible member to withstand theextremely high localized pres sure developed during cavitation; V The rateat which the cavityor bubble will collapse in a liquid free of foreign bodies, depends upon the pressure,

- the rate of pressure change andrthe' viscosity of the liquid containing the dissolved, 'gas.

These pressures are the well known pres-- 7 bags and diaphragms are easily punctured-when under tension and formed when theelastomer bellows and its supporting members are in the. nested position as shown in FIGURE 1. "The elastomer in this column is in compression and in the compressed state it is capable of withstanding extremely high pressures and to resist the. effects of cavitation as'hereinafter more fully described.

' The bottom convolution of the elastomer bellows is secured to a base 28which in turn is attached to the inner walls of the housing 26. .It will be observed that the housing 26 is closed at its upper end and open at its lower end to receive the base 28; The base 28' is provided with .a restricted opening 29 therein .to receive a fitting 30 whereby the surge suppressor. can be incorporated into a fluid bearing line or system.

,Since the static pressure in the system to which the surge suppressor is coune'cted is 'fixedmland cannot be changeddother means for. protecting the flexible member from theefiect of cavitation must be provided; The rate r of pressure change of the liquid flowing between the surge suppressor and the system can'be decreased by restricting the size of the opening 40 inithe conduit or fitting 30,

connecting the surge suppressor to the system. In addition, the chamber 25 in thehousing v26 can be partially r filled with a liquid 31. "The viscosity of the 1iquid731 withinv the chamber 25 can be madefas great 1000 poises A suitableliquidhaying such viscosity may be thick molasses. The presentinvention makes use of both of these methods of protecting the-be1lows'20 without interfering with the efiiciency'which maylbe obtained from the surge suppressor;

" As anexample of the mproved efficiency which can be obtainedby increasing the viscosity-of the liquid and'decreasing the inlet opening,.tests were made with a surge suppressor, such as. isshownlin FIGURES 1-4,

using a liquid. in the hermatically' sealed'chamber 25 V with a viscosity of 0.01 poise, and allowing the liquid in the system to circulate between the surge suppressor and the system through a inch inlet or fitting 30. The

elastomer bellows 2t) failed'before 25 instantaneous valve closures. 1 7

When a liquid having a viscosity of two poises was substituted for the lower viscosity liquid in the chamber 25 and a diaphragm 58 witha inch opening 40 placed within 1 the fitting 30, allowing. the bellows to move Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG-1' URES 1-4, 20 indicates anelas tom-er bellows formed of neoprene, rubber, silicone'f rubber or the like. shaped cap 21 is molded into. the upper portion of; the

elastomer bellows to closefthe bellows atthat'end. The

dome shaped cap 21'is part of the supporting structure of the elastomer bellows 20.5 The remainder of the bellows supporting structure consists of a series of washer shaped rings 22, 23, 'which' are alternately placed inside and outside of the convolutions' 24-of the"bellows,20 as A 5 dome through a 25% greater volume change to maintain the .intensity of the transient pressure wave' after the modifi- "cation of the surge suppressor at--the intensity it had before, the suppressor was able'to withstand 25,000

instantaneous valve closures without failure. As stated above, the elastomer bellows described herein are operated-under 'compressionat all times. Such shown in FIGURES 1 -3.. The washers 22,123,- are dis-" posed so that they preventfthe bellows 20' from collapsing i completely and seal the fiatsurfaces of the co'nvolutions 24 when the transient pressures developed during surges such as water. hammer, bringthe combined transient and T static pressure. below the pressure in the pressurized chamber 25. The chamber 25 is formed between the outside surface of the bellows 2t} and the interior of the housing 26 which is disposed around the bellows. j

, "pressure.

' bellows are. possible because they are molded-in the extended position as shown in FIGURE' 4- Whenthe surge suppressor is assembled, a quantity of gas indicated at 32 in FIGURE. 3 is pumped into the chamber 25 ata suitable The gas 32 fills. the chamberabvovethe liquid only the inner and outer periphery of the bellows convolutions 24 are in contact with the liquids in the pressurized chamber 25 and in the system. To increase the resistance of the bellows to the destructive effects of cavitation the rounded portions of the convolutions 24, are made thicker as compared with the flat portions which rest upon the washer shaped rings 22, 23. Another advantage of maintaining the elastomer in the bellows in a compressed state throughout its operating cycle is a reduced rate of diffusion of fluids through the elastomer and a very great reduction in the rate of chemical and physical deterioration of the flexible assembly.

Since an elastomer will swell and increase slightly in size as a result of absorption of liquids, it is within the purview of the present invention to make each of the rings 22 as split ring in the manner shown in FIGURE 11, so that they have a slight tendency to spring outwardly and bear against the inner surface of the convolutions 24. In this manner, the convolutions will be firmly supported by the rings at all times.

When an intense pressure wave, indicated at 34 in FIG- URE 1, reaches the surge suppressor the elastomer bellows 20 will be extended as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. As the bellows 20 extends, the gas 32 in the pressurized chamber 25 is compressed and cavities indicated at 35 in FIGURE 4, which were previously formed in the liquid 31 in the pressurized chamber 25 will collapse. Other cavities indicated at 36 in FIGURE 4 may form within the liquid inside the elastomer bellows 20. This expansion of the bellows will continue until the pressure of the compressed gas in the chamber 25 has absorbed the energy originally in the fluid. At the instant the fluid in the system has experienced its maximum change in velocity, which usually means the fluid has been brought to rest, the transient pressure will have reached its maximum value and the pressure of the compressed gas 32 in the surge chamber will be equal to the pressure in the system. This high pressure wave developed by superimposing the transient pressure wave upon the static pressure in the system, will have a life in most instances of a few milliseconds. However, during the lifetime of the high pressure wave its magnitude must not exceed some predetermined value if the noise commonly known as water hammer is to be eliminated.

Following the high pressure wave is a rarificationwave. During the rarification wave the pressure in chamber 57 within the bellows 20 will be reduced below the static pressure in the system. During this period the bellows 20 will nest and the pressure in chamber 2d will be reduced from the peak pressure in the system, which is equal to the sum of the static and peak transient pressures, to the pressure in the pressurized chamber 25 when the bellows 20 is nested. In both chambers 25, 57, a sudden reduction in pressure has taken place during the rarification wave. This sudden reduction in pressure causes both the dissolved and mechanically suspended gases and vapors to expand. When this rarification takes place in a short period of time, cavities will collapse and develope localized pressures in the liquid which range from 50,000 to 500,000 psi. The elastomer however, remains in the compressed condition during the cycle of elongation of the bellows by the increasing pressure wave and the immediate nesting of the bellows, by the rarification wave, since the bellows is not allowed to elongate enough as shown in FIGURE 4, to put the elastomer in tension. With the bellows in the nested position as shown in FIGURE 1, the flat washer shaped rings 22, 23, and the dome 21, prevent the elastomer bellows 20 from collapsing and isolate the flat surfaces of the convolutions from the collapsing cavities.

' Thus only the inner and outer peripheries of the bellows convolutions come in contact with the liquids in chamber 57 and in the pressurized chamber 25, respectively when the cavities are collapsing. During this period the clastomer on the outer surfaces of the convolutions can be maintained without appreciable stretching by selecting washers of a thickness which cause adjacent fiat surface to be parallel when the bellows is nested.

During the period when the elastomer bellows 20 is nested, liquid containing particles of dissolved gas indicated at 35, 36, in FIGURE 3, will be sealed between the inside convolution surfaces of the elastomer bellows 20 and the rings 22, 23. However, the dissolved gases in the liquid will be hermetically sealed by the nested bellows from the pressure changes taking place between the chamber 25 and the system, providing the frequency of the transient pressure wave is slow enough to eliminate an appreciable lag between the position of the bellows assembly 20 and the pressure differential operating on the bellows.

When the fitting or inlet conduit 30 is not restricted, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the pressure in the chamber 25 is in phase with the pressure in the system. Since the bellows assembly has inertia the nesting and unnesting of the bellows will usually lag slightly behind the transient pressure waves and consequently the bellows will always nest a little below the static pressure and unnest a little above the static pressure during the operation of the surge suppressor.

Elastomer bellows such as are herein disclosed have specific advantages over elastomer bags, membranes or metal bellows when used in surge suppressors. Elastomer bellows have a low spring constant. In the bellows illustrated in FEGURES 1-4, the spring constant does not exceed one or two ounces and the difference in pressure differential between the top and bottom convolutions does not exceed more than a few ounces. At the instant the bellows is fully extended, the pressure differential across the elastomer bellows will never exceed one or two pounds and this is not a great enough pressure differential to stretch the thick walled bellows more than a trivial amount. The bellows can therefore be said to function without stretching the elastomer.

The low spring constant of the bellows 20 allows the surge suppressor to respond and correct small pressure changes in the system. This permits the surge suppressor to be used to smooth out the pulsations from liquid systems using reciprocating pumps and reduces the pulsations reaching the pressure gages.

Surge suppressors are often placed in inaccessible locations such as between the walls in houses. It is therefore necessary for them to operate over a period of years without servicing. Because elastomers are more permeable to fluids than metals, it has been necessary when using elastomer flexible members to pressurize the surge suppressors from time to time and consequently they are not used when servicing is prohibited.

Since elastomers are permeable to fluids it is possible to use the elastomer as a semi-permeable membrane and cause fluids to diffuse into the sealed chamber 25 instead of out of the chamber. This is accomplished by using a liquid 31 in chamber 25 in FIGURE 3, which consists of a solvent and solute. The solvent and solute are selected so that the liquid 55 in chamber 57 willdilfuse through the walls of bellows 20 until the pressure in chamber 25 is greater than the pressure in chamber 57. This process or" causing a fluid to pass through a membrane and create a pressure differential across the membrane is known as osmosis and the pressure differential is known as osmotic pressure. The magnitude of the pressure differential can be adjusted by the proper selection of solvent and solute to cover a range of pressures having a lower value of a few ounces or less and higher values of a few hundred pounds.

A surge suppresor made in accordance with this structure can be filled with the proper amount of solvent and solute at some extremely low pressure as for example, 20 or 30 p.s.i. After the surge suppressor has been installed in the system, some or" the fluids in the system will diffuse into the fluids in the sealed chamber 25 and build up a pressure therein equal to the osmostic pressure plus the "'7 1 7 normal system pressure. Since the flow of fluids is always into the sealed chamber 25 and never out of,it,:bellows will always be covered by liquid 31. This liquid'seals gas 32 from the elastomer bellows 2b and consequently the gases cannot contact the walls of the bellows. ln practice, agas 32 is selected which is only slightly soluble in liquid 3}; Argon has given e xcellent results. Surge suppressors maintaining fluids inthe pressurized chamber.

by using osmosis to cause fluids to flow into the sealed chamber can be operated withoutperiodic recharging.

A specific example of a liquid which will take, advantage of the osmotic effect of. a permeable elastornerbellows is a weak solution of sugar a'nd .water in the sealed chamber'25. The sugar and water solution will cause water from the system to flow into the chamber until the gas inthe chamber becomes pressurizedto the osmotic pressure of the solution above thev pressure i-nthe system.

Two high viscositiy liquids which will cause water to flow from the system into the pressurizedchamber 25 are glycerine'and molasses.

The surge suppressor illustrated in FIGURES l-4, is assembledby securing the elastomer bellows 253 to the base 28. The lowest convolution of the bellows 26) is first held Within the groove. 37 provided in the said base 28. The base 28 isthen secured to the open end or the housing 26 by Welding or, some other] suitable method.

' The chamber 25 is thus sealed offfromthe' interiorof the bellows 20. Thejliquid .31 is thenintroduced into the chamber 25 through an opening 38 in the top of the housing 26. 'The chamber 25 is partially filled with'theliquid 31. thenpumped into the chamber 25 and the unit is sealed Gases under pressure, indicated at 32, are

may be Welded into the base 28 orthe base 28 may be provided with a restricted opening 4:? as illustrated in FIGURE 10. When the surge suppressor is installed in. accessible places, suflieient liquid--3l isputinto chamber 25 to. cover bellows when the bellows is i'n;,the ex- 7 tended position V I When the elastomerbellows cannot serve as a semipermeablemembrane a small semi-permeable membrane may be placed between the elastomer bellows andthe sealed chamber 25 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. The

semi-permeable membrane 41 is provided. with a filter assembly 42 which is'carried within a bushing 43 between the interior of thev elastomer bellows 2t and the'membrane 41. The semi-permeable membrane 41 may beef;

organic or inorganic materials, A very good semimaterial is used.

designatedpressure above the static pressureinv the sys- .tem. If the pressurejin chamber, 25 is above the osmotic pressure of solveritandsolute 31' with respect to liquid in the inside of bellows 12d, liquid 31 will'diffuse back into; fluid 55 in chamber 57"until-the pressure differential across. the bellows is equal to the osmotic pressure, of the solvent .and'soluteivl f Thisprinciple-can be usedto advantage;

'when a shipment, of surge suppressors are installed in tall been provided'for maintaining a 'fluid seal at ra specific pressure when an elas tomer bellows made of permeable Referringto FIGURES 6 and 7, there isshown an elast omer bellows having the same structure as that shown as by welding a ball 39 into the opening 38; The fitting posed within-and without the convolutions 49, of the bel-- lOWs' 47. 'The rings 48 keep the bellows from expanding permeable membrane'consist's' of. unglazed porcelain having the pores filled with ferro-cy-anide of copper. Alter-' nately, term-cyanide of nickel or cobalt may be substituted for thecopper. Organic semi-permeable 'membranes can be made from balloon cloth, certain types of elastomers and the like, depending upon the nature of the fluids in the system. The filter 42 is disposed-between the fluids in the system and the semi-permeable"membrane 41 to prevent particles of dirt from clogging the membraner If theliquid in the system is water; and the liquid 31' in the chamber 25 is a solute of water and cane sugar;

water will flowfrom the system through the serni-permea ble membrane 41 into the chamber 25. The flow of water into the chamber will reduce the volume occupied by the gases 32 and the flow of water will continue untilthe pressure of the gases in the chamber exceeds the pressure within the system by 2.5 atmospheres, providing the concentration of the sugar is 0:1. It the concentration of:

sugar is l, the pressure will be exceeded by 25.44 atmosj pheres. By concentration is'me'ant the number, of grams of sugar dissolved in grams of Water.

In this manner,osmoticpressure, in combination with semi-permeable membranesrand the proper selection of solvents and solute can be used to cause liquid to flow into and out of the pressurized chamber and keep the pressure of the pressurized gases in the chamber 25 at'any housing 26"" during its operational-life.

, tacting surfaces 50 of convolutions 49 meet;

The maximum pressure. which is, exerted tomer .whenitherings 48' have penetratedinto the con- 'volutions.a distance.equal.:..to one-halfsthe diameter of "the rings is difficult to compute. However,- calculation of in FIGURES l'- 4,-except thatothe outer rings 23 have been bmittedQ When this bellows is in the nested position the outer contacting surfaces 44 of the convolutions.

24 meet. -A small space 45 having a somewhat crosssectional teardrop shape is formed between theouter contacting surfaces 44. 'As pressure on the .elastorner bellows 26 is increased and it'nests, the tear-drop opening45 will 'collapse' and the adjacent surfaces 44 of, the

convolutionsze will make" contact. The nested bellows shown in FIGURE 6 can be made to withstand the'pres sure developed when the cavities 35,3 6, collapse by molding the bellows so that the curved portions thereof are under compression when the bellows arenested. Alton.

nately, the 'elastomer may be madethickerat the curved portions than at the flat .contacting'surfaces 44.

Referringto FIGURES 8 and 9;, there is shown an elasftomer bellows'assembly 47, whichmaybe used where the diameter of the bellows-is small or the charging pressure in the chamber ZS'is relatively low; ln thisembodiment, llngs 48' having a circular cross-section. aresubstituted for the 'flat'ring's 22, 23, previously described in connection with I FIGURES 1-4. The rings 48 form a portion of the supporting structure of'the bellows 47' and'are disunder theinfiuence of pressure or by reason of fluid absorption so that the bellows does not rub against the V The pressure within the 'chamber ZS acting on the dome 27 will exert forces on the rings 43. When the bellows has a small. diameter or the gas pressure operating on the liquid in the pressurized chamber is small; thejrorce exerted by dome 27 on the nested bellows will not be great enough to cause rings 48 to cut or'deform the flat walls of the bellows. A the pressure is increased the force exerted by the dome will increase; and before the pressure of. gases 32in chamber'2i5 have reached a pressure required in practically all systems which develop water hammer with the instantaneous closure or a'valve, rings 48 will cut throughjor'cause theelastomerqtofiow until the conon the clasthe average pressure acting on the supporting rings'22,

.23, of bellows 29 is computable and by selectinga bellows having a relativelyv small inner'diameter compared to the outer diameter, the gases 32 in chamber '25 can be pressurized to several hundred pounds without damaging the elastomerin the bellows. I

As previously set forth, one of the methods by which the elastomer bellows can be protected from destruction is to restrict the opening from the inlet pipe or fitting 30 to the interior of the elastomer bellows. Referring to FIGURE there is shown a structure whereby the base 28 has a bottom plate 51 in the nature of a diaphragm which overlies the bottom of the surge suppressor. The plate 51 is provided with a small restricted central opening 40, and the fitting 30 is welded to the plate 51 around the opening 40 and in communication therewith. As a result, the pressure differential developed across the bellows during the life of the transient pressure wave will never become great enough to appreciably stretch the bellows and consequently the elastomer will not be contacted by collapsing cavities 35, 36, when under tension. Moreover, the restricted rate of liquid flow through opening 40 will reduce the rate of cavity collapse and limit the pressure developed by the collapsing cavities to pressures which the unstretched elastomer can withstand without failure.

The remainder of the bellows in FIGURE 10 is identical in construction to that shown in FIGURES 1-4, and is therefore not further illustrated nor herein described. In this embodiment the housing 26 is formed with a shoulder 52 which serves to secure a two-piece base 28 to the housing 26. As illustrated the base 28 consists of the plate 51 and a separate washer-like member 53 which cooperate to retain the bottom convolution 54 of the elastomer bellows 20.

The operation of the surge suppressors described and shown herein will be apparent. Once installed in the line and properly pressurized as hereinabove described, the elastomer bellows remains nested until the arrival of a surge pressure which exceeds the pressure within the chamber 25. The surge pressure causes the elastomer bellows to elongate into the chamber in exactly the same manner as a metal bellows compressing the gas 32 in chamber 25. The energy released which initiated the surge pressure is dissipated by fluid friction and the surge pressure is attenuated and rapidly approaches zero. As the surge pressure drops the bellows again will collapse into its nested position and remain in this state even though the pressure within the line drops below the normal static pressure. In this manner, damaging surges within the line are absorbed and dissipated and the phenomenon known as water hammer is eliminated.

Having thus fully described the invention, What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A fluid line surge suppressor comprising a hollow fluid tight housing having an opening therein, a com pressed convoluted elastomer bellows closed at one end, secured to the housing across the housing opening at its other end and disposed within the housing to form a fluid retaining chamber between the elastomer bellows and the interior of the housing, support means comprising a series of flat ring shaped members disposed within the interior of the bellows convolutions, a continuous rigid dome shaped member carried by the closed portion of the elastomer bellows and of a size greater than the inside diameter of the said bellows, a quantity of fluid around the elastomer bellows within the fluid chamber, a quantity of gas under pressure between the fluid in the chamber and the fluid tight housing to maintain the elastomer bellows under compression at all times, and means to connect the interior of the elastomer bellows to the fluid in the line.

2. A fluid line surge suppressor comprising a hollow fluid tight housing having an opening therein, a compressed elastomer bellows formed of a rubber-like material and having convoluted walls closed at one end, secured to the housing across the housing opening at its other end and disposed within the housing to form a fluid retaining chamber between the elastomer bellows and the interior of the housing, a quantity of fluid having a high viscosity with respect to the viscosity of the fluid in the line under pressure around the elastomer bellows within the fluid chamber to maintain the elastomer bellows under compression at all times and means to connect the interior of the elastomer bellows to the fluid in the line.

3. A surge suppressor according to claim 2, in which the fluid viscosity is at least two poises.

4. A surge suppressor according to claim 1, in which the elastomer bellows wall contains a semi-permeable material and the fluid in the fluid-retaining chamber is selected from a solute and solvent which will cause fluids in the fluid line to diffuse into the fluid chamber through the permeable material of the elastomer bellows.

5. A surge suppressor according to claim 1 in which the elastomer bellows wall is formed of a semi-permeable material and the fluid in the fluid retaining chamber is selected from a solute and solvent which will cause fluids in the fluid line to diifuse into the fluid chamber through the permeable material of the elastomer bellows.

6. A surge suppressor according to claim 1 in which the elastomer bellows wall contains a semi-permeable porous ceramic material and the fiuid in the fluid retaining chamber is selected from a solute and solvent which will cause the fluids in the fluid line to diffuse into the fluid retaining chamber through the permeable ceramic material of the elastomer bellows.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,561,065 Eggleston Nov. 10, 1925 2,047,713 Simpson July 14, 1936 2,373,680 Hawley Apr. 17, 1945 2,490,513 Dreyer Dec. 6, 1949 2,682,893 Ziebold July 6, 1954 2,828,769 Cooper Apr. 1, 1958 2,878,012 Crites Mar. 17, 1959 2,886,066 Hansen May 12, 1959 2,920,656 Bertolet Jan. 12, 1960 2,954,604 Ramey Oct. 4, 1960 2,993,268 Wells July 25, 1961 3,019,818 Everett Feb. 6, 1962 3,046,647 Carstens July 31, 1962 3,109,458 Mercier Nov. 5, 1963 3,113,592 Mercier Dec. 10, 1963 3,115,162 Posh Dec. 24, 1963 

1. A FLUID LINE SURGE COMPRISING A HOLLOW FLUID TIGHT HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A COMPRESSED CONVOLUTED ELASTOMER BELLOWS CLOSED AT ONE END, SECURED TO THE HOUSING ACROSS THE HOUSING OPENING AT ITS OTHER END AND DISPOSED WITHIN THE HOUSING TO FORM A FLUID RETAINING CHAMBER BETWEEN THE ELASTOMER BELLOWS AND THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSING, SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A SERIES OF FLAT RING SHAPED MEMBERS DISPOSED WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE BELLOWS CONVOLUTIONS, A CONTINUOUS RIGID DOME SHAPED MEMBER CARRIED BY THE CLOSED PORTION OF THE ELASTOMER BELLOWS AND OF A SIZE GREATER THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE SAID BELLOWS, A QUANTITY OF FLUID AROUND THE ELASTOMER BELLOWS WITHIN THE FLUID CHAMBER, A QUANTITY OF GAS UNDER PRESSURE BETWEEN THE FLUID IN THE CHAMBER AND THE FLUID TIGHT HOUSING TO MAINTAIN THE ELASTOMER BELLOWS UNDER COMPRESSION AT ALL TIMES, AND MEANS TO CONNECT THE INTERIOR OF THE ELASTOMER BELLOWS TO THE FLUID IN THE LINE. 